Unfair but balanced commentary on tax and budget policy, contemporary U.S. politics and culture, and whatever else happens to come up

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Another musical note

Some time ago I purchased CD 1 of the 3-CD "69 Love Songs" by the Magnetic Fields (aka NYC songwriter Stephin Merritt plus associated musicians). It didn't quite take, but earlier this year I purchased their/his latest, "Distortion," which is a stylistic homage to the Jesus and Mary Chain that I preferred to the original. A fave on this new record is the hilarious "California Girls," which has a slightly different viewpoint than the Beach Boys song of that name. (Fitting into the concept here because J & MC were in some ways a Beach Boys homage with static and electronic distortion layered on top.) Sample lyrics: "Looking down your perfect noses at me and my kind / Did you really think that we won't mind? ... You will hear me say, as the pavement whirls / I hate California girls." [Sung by a woman so that it conveys jealousy rather than misogyny.]

Anyway, this led me to try 69 Love Songs, Part 1 again, and this time I liked it enough to spring for the last 2 volumes and 46 tracks, which I am now eagerly awaiting.

Robert Christgau aptly remarked of 69 Love Songs that to complain that it doesn't sound sincere is like complaining about a great jazz musician that he plays too many notes. That's what Merritt is selling. The album is a review / pastiche / homage / satire / compendium / commentary concerning love songs (as opposed to love) in all sorts of genres, with what are often astonishingly clever and witty lyrics - Noel Coward-level at times although with a different sensibility.

About Me

I am the Wayne Perry Professor of Taxation at New York University Law School. My research mainly emphasizes tax policy, government transfers, budgetary measures, social insurance, and entitlements reform. My most recent books are (1) Decoding the U.S. Corporate Tax (2009) and (2) Taxes, Spending, and the U.S. Government's March Toward Bankruptcy (2006). My other books include Do Deficits Matter? (1997), When Rules Change: An Economic and Political Analysis of Transition Relief and Retroactivity (2000), Making Sense of Social Security Reform (2000), Who Should Pay for Medicare? (2004), Taxes, Spending, and the U.S. Government's March Towards Bankruptcy (2006), Decoding the U.S. Corporate Tax (2009), and Fixing the U.S. International Tax Rules (forthcoming). I am also the author of a novel, Getting It. I am married with two children (boys aged 16 and 19) as well as four (!) cats. For my wife Pat's quilting blog, see Patwig’s Blog.